Apparently I’m not a devoted blogger! I can’t believe it has been so long since I posted something.

I’ve been reading a bunch–and now it’s for fun! And I’ve been making some jewelry and putting together costume components for the upcoming Romantic Times BookLovers Convention. This has been a fun process and Katie and I are having a ton of fun.

We’ve finally settled on a pattern for our fairy costume for the convention ball. This is what we’re making–

Katie is going as an Earth fairy so we’re going to make the pink costume in the upper middle using browns and greens. I’m going as a fire fairy and am going to make the top right costume using reds and oranges.

We found some awesome wings on EBay and at a great price.

Check them out–Here are Katie’s green wings—and yes, she has practiced sitting in them!

And here are my red wings–

If you ever need costume wings, I highly recommend Fashionwings4u. These are bendable, well constructed and they shipped extremely fast.

Here’s a review of my most recent favorite read–This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer, published by Harcourt.

This World We Live In is a bittersweet, devastating, uplifting view of post apocalyptic life through the eyes of a seventeen year old girl. Told through her diary, This World We live In explores the lives of Miranda and her family as they struggle through daily existence following a natural disaster of devastating proportions.

A year has passed since the moon was hit by an asteroid, knocking it out of orbit just enough to cause tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on earth. Normal life is over, as is school, shopping, and the lives of many friends and neighbors. With food shortages, little to no electricity and the constant fog of volcanic ash blocking out the sun, life is no picnic for the survivors.

Miranda, her mother and two brothers eek out an existence in cramped and impersonal conditions. Miranda shares her feelings on lack of privacy while at the same time expressing how alone she feels. Miranda’s voice as she writes in her journal has the reader holding back tears on one page and laughing out loud the next.

After her two brothers take a fishing trip and one brings back a bride, the situation becomes even more stressful. Another mouth to feed and one more living in their already limited conditions brings more worries. Not long after more visitors appear in the form of Miranda’s father, his new wife, their young baby and three stragglers. Miranda is immediately taken with one of the stragglers, a boy about her age named Alex. Her younger brother Jon is taken with Alex’s sister, Julie. Now, more mouths to feed and personalities to work with as the struggle continues.

The World We Live In leaves the reader in an ambivalent position. A tragedy spurs a new direction for the survivors whose changing circumstances give hope even though the future is anything but certain. I truly hope there will be more to come about the struggle of these survivors, but if it doesn’t, The World We Live In gives one much to think about and much to be thankful for.

I’ve been reading a bunch since I finished school. Here’s a list with a few opinions that I’ve been keeping on Paperback Swap.

10. Your the One that I Haunt by Terri Garey (1/17/10) This series is so easy and enjoyable to read. I don’t know why, but they are quick reads, too.

11. Silent Night, Hanted Night by Terri Garey (1/18/10)

12. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (1/19/10) YA and wonderful!

13. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (1/22/10) Excellent

14.Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (1/26/10) Different world and very cool. Steampunk adventure.

15. Betrayals by Lili St. Crow (1/28/10) YA. I love this series. I find I’m liking it much more than the House of Night series.

16. White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison (2/4/10)

17. Undead and Unwelcome by MaryJanice Davidson (2-5-10)

18. Wages of Sin by Jenna Maclaine (2/6/10)

19. Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris (2/8/10) Satisying and enjoyable conclusion to Harper and Tolliver’s story. Wish there had been a few more!

20. Evernight by Claudia Gray (2/10/10)

21. First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost (2/12/10) Awesome, wonderful story–I wish Ms. Frost would crank out one of these every month!

22. Blood Magic by Eileen Wilks (216/10)

23. My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent (2/25/10)

24. Deadtown by Nancy Holzner (3/5/10)

25. The Host by Stephanie Meyer (3/9/10) With all of the ambivalent reviews around, Ive found that I’m one of those who truly enjoyed this story.

26. Firespell by Chloe Neill (3/10/10) YA and not too bad. I’ll be reading the next one.

27. Storm Watcher by Lilith Saintcrow (3/11/10)

28. Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole (3/12/10) I’m pretty sure that Kresley Cole is my all-time favorite author. I cannot put her books down once I’ve started.

29. Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison (3/15/10) YA by the writer of the Hollows series–which I love. This one, not so much. I will read the next just to see if it develops a more interesting and understandable plot.

30. Atlantis Redeemed by Alyssa Day (3/1810) I love the Warriors of Poseidon series!

31. Deep Kiss of Winter by Gena Showalter and Kresley Cole (3/22/10)

32. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (3/23/10) This was a unique view of werewolves and I really loved the POV of the story. I’m excited that there will be a second.33. Strange Brew by P.N. Elrod (3/24/10)34. This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer (3/26/10) Bittersweet, depressing, uplifting story told in diary form of the after effects of an apocalyptic event. I find myself thinking about this one more than anything else I’ve recently read or seen.